VIA Labs to show off VL800 4-port USB 3.0 host controller at Computex

USB 3.0 gear is coming to the market in larger amounts every day. Today if your notebook or mainboard has USB 3.0 ports, you are lucky to get a pair of them. VIA Labs will be showing off a new host controller for USB 3.0 at Computex that can double the number of USB 3.0 ports available.

The controller is called the VL800 and is aimed at integration into desktops and notebooks, servers, docking systems, and add-in cards. In addition to supporting four USB 3.0 ports that can be used at the same time, the new host controller also supports USB Battery Charging Specification.

Support for the spec means that the ports can be used to charge and power external devices like phones and cameras. The controller maintains backwards compatibility with USB 2.0 and earlier devices. VIA Labs doesn’t offer any indication when we will see the new host controller in consumer devices.